Tack-lifter.



R. B. WAKBLEY.

TACK LIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11. 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

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TACK-LIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3i 1% 09.

Application filed November 11, 1908. Serial No. 462,098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT B. WAKELEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tack-Lifters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to those devices having a curved notched blade adapted for insertion beneath a tack head to draw a tack out of the floor or wall. One of the objections incident to drawing tacks by these de vices is that the tack is very liable to come out with suddenness and be thrown out of the blade of the lifter often to a considerable distance.

The object of my device is to provide means for holding the tack in the jaws of the lifter and preventing it from flying out when the tack is withdrawn.

The invention consists in providing a guard plate or cover which is normally held down over the notched portion of the lifter shank and over the head of the tack, thus preventing its flying upward when the handle of the lifter is depressed.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 2, is a side elevation thereof partly in section. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail of the lower end of the lifter shank with the guard plate removed, and Fig. 4, is an enlarged perspective of the guard plate.

In the drawings A designates the handle of a lifter, and B the shank thereof. The shank at its foot has a fiat under face 5, and an inclined upper face 5, the edge of the foot being notched or forked as at 39 The shank, extends upward at an inclination to the under face Z) forming a heel Z9 or fulcrum point. This is the usual construction of tack lifters or pullers and therefore needs no further description.

My invention resides in pivoting upon the upper face of the shank a guard or cover plate C preferably made with an extension C forming a thumb piece and acted upon by a spring D to throw the guard plate down against the upper face of the lower end of the shank as shown in Fig. 2.

In detail the guard plate is slightly wider than the shank and the thumb piece Cismade integral therewith, extending up therefrom at an angle having a greater degree of inclination than the shank B has relatively to its foot.

The guard plate is provided with downwardly projecting ears C which register with ears B projecting up from the shank. A pintle E passes through the four ears and permits upon the pintle.

The spring D has its middle portion formed into a coil d which surrounds the pintle. The ends of the spring extend outthe guard plate to be turned I ward at an angle to each other and are received in grooves d formed in the adjacent faces of the shank and thumb piece.

In operation the guard C is raised and the notched edge of the lifter is inserted beneath the tack, the handle depressed and the tack will be withdrawn in the usual manner, except that it will be held in engagement with the lifter by means of, the guard which is long enough to project out and beyond the tack head. By depressing the thumb piece the tack may be readily discharged. It will be seen that my device is simple, may be easily provided with the tack pullers used to-day and that it will prevent absolutely the throwing out of the tack.

Having thus described my invention what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tack lifter having a shank formed with a wedge-shaped, forked tack-engaging end, an angular guard plate pivoted to the upper face of said lifter, and a spring coiled around the pivot of said guard plate, the ends of said spring engaging with the upper face of the lifter shank and the inner face of the upper portion of the guard plate, said guard and said shank having grooves to receive the ends of said spring.

2. Atack lifter, havingashank, the lower at its ends against said shank and guard 10 end of the same being sharp, Wedge-shaped plate. and forked to form a tack engaging p0r- In testimony whereof I have signed my tion, ears projecting upwardly from said name to this specification in the presence shank, an angular guard plate, ears dependof two subscribing Witnesses.

ing from said guard plate, said ears on the ROBERT B. VVAKELEY. guard plate and shank having alined open- Witnesses: ings, a pivot pin in said openings, and a R. H. KRENKEL,

spring coiled around said pin and bearing 1 J A. L. MULHALL. 

